VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing. It is remote control software which allows you to view and interact with one computer (the "server") using a simple program (the "viewer") on another computer anywhere on the Internet.

The two computers don't even have to be the same type, so for example you can use VNC to view an office Linux machine on your Windows PC at home. VNC is freely and publicly available and is in widespread active use by millions throughout industry, academia and privately.

# All platforms* NEW: VNC has a new brand name, VNC Connect. VNC Server and VNC Viewer have new brand colors, icons and logos.* NEW: VNC Connect is licensed by annual subscription rather than perpetual license key. When a paid Professional or Enterprise subscription expires, remote access stops. If you’re an existing, entitled VNC 5.x customer, you can automatically upgrade to a new Enterprise subscription.* NEW: Establish secure, seamless, reliable cloud connections from VNC Viewer to VNC Server. If you have an Enterprise subscription, this can be as well as, or instead of, traditional direct connections.* NEW: Invite people in to your team to quickly share remote access, and manage computers, subscriptions, renewals and payment methods much more conveniently online using your RealVNC account.* NEW: Sign in to VNC Viewer with your RealVNC account credentials to backup and sync your address book between all your desktop and mobile devices.* NEW: VNC Address Book is integrated into VNC Viewer, so everything is accessible from one place. Use File > Import connections to transfer VNC 5.x connections in from VNC Address Book, or from a directory of .vnc files.* NEW: VNC Viewer can remember remote access credentials so you don’t have to enter them each time. Note under Linux we additionally recommend setting a master password for VNC Viewer; see below. Learn how passwords are stored.* NEW: Use File > Preferences > Privacy to set a master password to protect VNC Viewer from unauthorized use.* NEW: Save desktop previews for connections (that is, screenshots in thumbnail form) to make VNC Viewer more intuitive to use.* NEW: Give connections friendly names.* NEW: Quickly forget sensitive data such as passwords and desktop previews if VNC Viewer is running on a shared computer.* NEW: If you start VNC Viewer and simultaneously establish a direct connection at the command line, use the -useaddressbook flag to integrate with your address book, for example vncviewer -useaddressbook 192.168.1.99:65. If the connection is to a known computer, stored settings are applied. If the connection is to a new computer, it is added to your address book.* NEW: Configure the rate at which a desktop is panned when in full screen mode using the BumpScrollSpeed VNC Viewer parameter.* VNC Server now needs an Enterprise subscription in order to run in User Mode or Virtual Mode. Only direct connectivity is available in these modes.* VNC Viewer now sets File > Preferences > Proxy to the system proxy server by default, rather than to no proxy server.* VNC Deployment Tool and VNC Viewer for Java are no longer supported.# Windows* NEW: Support for Windows Server 2016. Full supported platforms list.# Mac* NEW: Support for macOS 10.12 Sierra. Note that only 64-bit package files are available for macOS 10.10, 10.11 and 10.12.# Linux* NEW: Support for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.* The process of installing VNC Connect without administrative privileges is now simpler.* FIXED: Setting the DisableTrayIcon VNC Server parameter to 1 now correctly removes the VNC Server icon from the notification area.